DAN FERRIGNO (FUR-EEN-YO) Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends After 21 seasons in the Pac-10 Conference and two with Brady Hoke at San Diego State, Dan Ferrigno joins the Michigan staff in 2011 as the special teams coordinator and tight end coach.

I don't mean to dampen anyone's spirits. I'm very happy with all the assistant news today.

Has had 3 seperate stints with Cal (from 80-81 as a GA, from 96-99 coaching WR/TE/ST, and from 2006-2007 coaching WR) in between he's sprinkled stints with ORegon (WRs from 2001-2005), Western MIchigan (OC and almost every offensive position group from 1982-1986), and Oregon State (1987-1995 coaching a variety of areas). He's also another of Brady Hoke's SDSU hires and joins Al Borges and Mattison in the "balding/bald" coaches club.

"I look forward to our success in the years to come. It is nice to be able to stay in California and recruit the state I have recruited for so long. I look forward to some of that knowledge to help us get better."

Most recently, Ferrigno served as the wide receivers coach at California during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. With his assistance, the Bears posted a 10-3 record in 2006 en route to the Holiday Bowl championship and a No. 14 final ranking in the AP poll. That was followed by a 7-6 record and an Armed Forces Bowl title in 2007. In 2006, California scored 280 points in Pac-10 play, the second-highest total in school history.

California wide receiver DeSean Jackson ranked 20th nationally in receiving yards per game and caught a Pac-10-best nine touchdowns in 2006. He ended the season with 1,060 receiving yards and earned first-team all-conference honors.

Prior to his work in Berkeley, Ferrigno was the wide receivers coach at Oregon from 2001-05. During that five-year period, the Ducks advanced to four bowl games aided by 23, 100-yard receiving performances. He helped develop Keenan Howry into Oregon's first first-team all-Pac-10 wide receiver in 16 seasons. He also coached Oregon's all-time leading receiver, Samie Parker.

As a tight ends coach, Ferrigno helped develop Tony Gonzalez while serving as his position coach at California. A first-team all-Pac-10 selection, Gonzalez was the 13th overall pick of the Kansas City Chiefs, where he has become an NFL All-Pro tight end.

I can't tell you how many times wide receiver coaches absolutely, positively are the whole reason that teams lose games.

Damn Tony Dews for Michigan's 15-22 record over the last three years! Damn him straight to Hell! It's a good thing for Pitt that he'll only be coaching the tight ends. Otherwise, the Panthers would have been doomed.

The interview from the San Diego State website profile of Ferrigno is a great read. It tells us a lot about how special teams are handled with Hoke as head coach. Sounds like it is definitely a group effort.